Patents Examined by Rajnikant Patel
  • Patent number: 9722507
    Abstract: An electric power conversion apparatus according to an embodiment includes, wherein when a constituent element constituted of a leg in which two switching elements provided with self-arc-extinguishing capability are connected in series, and a capacitor connected in parallel with the leg is made a converter unit, and a constituent element formed by connecting one or more converter units in series is made a phase arm, a phase arm on the positive side, a single-phase four-winding transformer, and a phase arm on the negative side are included in each of three phases, one end of the phase arm on the positive side is connected to the positive side of a secondary winding of the four-winding transformer, and the other end thereof is connected to a DC positive side terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yosuke Nakazawa, Takeru Murao, Shunsuke Tamada
  • Patent number: 9712082
    Abstract: A method for acquiring values indicative of an AC current generable by an inverting stage of an inverter. The method includes at least a first line and a second line for providing a path for AC current between the inverting stage and the output stage. A current sensor is operatively associated to the first and second lines and configured in such a way to generate a signal as a function of the sum between the AC current flowing in the first line and the AC current flowing in the second line. The method may also include driving the inverting stage in such a way that the AC current in the first line has a first high-frequency ripple during a first-half of the current period, and in such a way that the AC current in the second line has a second high-frequency ripple during a second-half of the current period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Giovanni Manchia
  • Patent number: 9712072
    Abstract: A power converter converts input power into DC power. A first switching element is connected between an output node and a high voltage node of the power converter. A second switching element is connected between the output node and a low voltage node of the power converter. First to third driver circuits have first to third power supply nodes to be supplied with first to third operating voltages based on first to third voltages at the output node, the low voltage node, and the high voltage node, respectively. The first to third driver circuits drive the first to third switching elements based on the first to third voltages, respectively. A rectifier circuit is connected between the power supply nodes of the first and second driver circuits, and supplies a current from the power supply node of the first driver circuit toward the power supply node of the third driver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SHINDENGEN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawai, Ken-ichi Iwao
  • Patent number: 9712046
    Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques determine the timing of switches associated with a dc-dc converter. The determination is based on a body diode conduction of at least one of the switches, which is detected and used to determine a switching delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christoph Sandner, Gerhard Maderbacher
  • Patent number: 9703311
    Abstract: An interface module for use in a power conversion system includes a first current circuit coupled to a single external programming terminal to conduct a programming current through an external programming circuitry coupled to the single external programming terminal. A current comparator is coupled to the first current circuit to compare a current representative of the programming current with an internal current. A mode select circuit is coupled to the current comparator to generate a select signal to select one of a plurality of modes in response to a comparison of the current representative of the programming current with the internal current by the current comparator. A second current circuit is coupled to the first current circuit and the mode select circuit to generate a reference current in response to the programming current and the select signal from the mode select circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Bäurle, Edward E. Deng
  • Patent number: 9692305
    Abstract: A method for controlling a resonant DC/DC power converting circuit is provided. The resonant DC/DC power converting circuit having a converter output and a converter input comprises at least two converters having similar structures and outputs connected in parallel as said converter output, and a controller. Each converter comprises a full-bridge inverter unit and a resonant unit. The full-bridge inverter unit is configured with at least four switches. The resonant unit is coupled with said full-bridge inverter unit. The controller outputs two groups of driving control signals to drive four switches in said two converters respectively. The method comprises: making said two converters operate at the same frequency and interleave with preset phase shift; and making two of driving control signals in one group interleave with preset angle to reduce output current of said converter corresponding controlled thereby, when output currents of said two converters are not approximately equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chao Yan, Yi-Qing Ye, Zhi-Zhen Lian
  • Patent number: 9680392
    Abstract: Provided is a modular multi-level converter (MMC) including a plurality of sub-modules including switching elements, and a central control unit which assigns an address to each of the plurality of sub-modules for distinguishing each of the plurality of sub-modules, determines switching operation conditions of the plurality of sub-modules based on the assigned addresses, and outputs switching signals corresponding to the determined switching operation conditions. The central control unit determines a switching sequence of the plurality of the sub-modules according to the sequence of the assigned addresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Woong Hyub Song, Young Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 9680381
    Abstract: A circuit can include a switching element, a charge storage element, a first rectifying element, and a second rectifying element. A current-carrying electrode of the switching element and a terminal of the charge storage element are coupled to each other. The other terminal of the charge storage element, an anode of the first rectifying element, and a cathode of the second rectifying element are coupled to a floating node. A cathode of the first rectifying element is coupled to an input terminal, and an anode of the second rectifying element is coupled to a reference node. In a particular embodiment, the circuit can be part of a power converter. The charge storage element can help to capture charge during a switching operation and release the captured charge during a subsequent switching operation. The charge storage element can help the circuit to operate more efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Gary H. Loechelt
  • Patent number: 9673736
    Abstract: A power conversion system includes a master power conversion device and one or more slave power conversion devices. Each power conversion device includes: a time counter and a carrier wave generator for synchronization with the time counter. The master power conversion device includes: a synchronization data generating unit for synchronizing a value of the time counter of the slave power conversion device with that of the master power conversion device. The slave power conversion device further includes: a time counter correcting unit that corrects the value of the time counter on the basis of the received synchronization data; a current sensor that detects a current on an output side of the slave power conversion device; and a gate timing adjusting unit that advances or delays a phase of the gate signal of the slave power conversion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Masafumi Ichihara
  • Patent number: 9673726
    Abstract: A capacitive power supply device for a control device of an electrical switching apparatus, including a power supply module that has two input terminals and a power supply voltage between the two terminals, and suitable for supplying a power supply current to a control member suitable for controlling the electrical switching apparatus when the power supply voltage is below a predetermined actuation threshold, the power supply module including a first capacitor connected at the input of voltage rectifying means, the control member being connected at the output of a rectifying block, wherein a second capacitor and a first switch, suitable for connecting the second capacitor based on a comparison of the power supply voltage to a capacitor switching threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS
    Inventors: Francois Vincent, Bruno Bordet
  • Patent number: 9673719
    Abstract: A dual active bridge (DAB) converter operates in a power conversion operation by controlling multiple bridge configured switches to charge a magnetization inductance from an input supply during a charge phase of a power cycle and to discharge the magnetization inductance into an output of the DAB during a discharge phase of the power cycle. The DAB converter includes an input converter connected to the input supply, an inductance connected to the input converter, a transformer comprising a primary and a secondary winding, and an output converter connected to the transformer. The input and output converters each include a first pair of switches forming a first circuit path, and a second pair of switches forming a second circuit path parallel to the first circuit path. The first and second circuit paths are both completed by a third circuit path including the inductance and the primary winding of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: The Governing Council of the University of Toronto
    Inventors: Shahab Poshtkouhi, Olivier Trescases
  • Patent number: 9673712
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes full bridge power supply systems and control methods. In at least one embodiment, the full bridge power supply system may be driven utilizing a two-phase continuous conduction switching mode to control the inductor current. In another embodiment, the full bridge power supply system may be driven utilizing variably-configured three-phase continuous conduction modes to control the inductor current when an input voltage is within a window value to the output voltage. In another embodiment, the full bridge power supply may be driven using a four-phase discontinuous conduction switching mode to control the inductor current when a load current is below a current lower threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Alan Dhuyvetter
  • Patent number: 9673714
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a power supply circuit and a power-on circuit. The power-on circuit detects a remotely transmitted control signal and causes a transition of the power supply circuit to a turned on state. The power-on circuit includes a transducer configured to provide a power-on signal in response to the remote control signal. The transducer triggers transition to the turned on state through a switch driven by the power-on signal output from the transducer and arranged to supply a power supply circuit enable signal. A DC blocking capacitor is connected between an output of the transducer and a control terminal of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Natale Aiello, Giulio Zoppi, Roberto Larosa
  • Patent number: 9660511
    Abstract: A gate driver circuit capable of quickly driving a semiconductor device without erroneous ignitions. It has a positive power supply for forward bias, a negative power supply for backward bias, a first bias circuit that outputs the positive- or negative-power-supply voltage according to gate driver signal S, a capacitor that is charged by the negative-power-supply voltage when the first bias circuit outputs the negative-power-supply voltage, and a second bias circuit that supplies the gate of the semiconductor device with the positive- or negative-power-supply voltage according to gate driver signal S. Only in an early stage of a transition period during which the semiconductor device is turned on, the second bias circuit supplies the gate of the semiconductor device, instead of the positive-power-supply voltage, with a voltage boosted by adding the charged voltage of the capacitor onto the positive-power-supply voltage outputted from the first bias circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9660553
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an energy conversion circuit comprising a switching stage with a positive DC voltage terminal (1), a negative DC voltage terminal (3), m?1 intermediate DC voltage terminals (2) m DC bus capacitors (5); and p linked cells consisting of m+1 switches (9) and at least one capacitor (10), connecting cell 1 to the positive DC voltage terminal (1), negative DC voltage terminals (3) and intermediate DC voltage terminals (2); and a multilevel converter, the output of which is connected to the AC voltage terminal (4), with a positive voltage terminal (12) and a negative voltage terminal (14) of the multilevel converter and m?1 intermediate voltage terminals of the multilevel converter (13), which are connected to the positive output terminal of the switching stage (6), to the negative output terminal of the switching stage (8), and to the m?1 intermediate output terminals of the switching stage (7), respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: INGETEAM POWER TECHNOLOGY, S.A.
    Inventors: Mikel Zabaleta Maeztu, Jesus Lopez Taberna, Eduardo Burguete Archel
  • Patent number: 9653992
    Abstract: A COT switching converter includes a first switch, a second switch, an inductor, an on-time control circuit configured to generate an on-time control signal, a ramp compensation generator configured to generate a compensation signal, a comparing circuit, a logic circuit, a driving circuit and a feed forward circuit configured to generate a compensation control signal based on the input voltage of the switching circuit. The comparing circuit compares the sum of the compensation signal and a feedback signal with a reference signal to generate a comparison signal. Based on the on-time control signal and the comparison signal, the logic circuit generates a control signal with a duty cycle to drive the first and second switches through the driving circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei Yuan, Qian Ouyang
  • Patent number: 9653999
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus is provided which includes a power supply; a DC/DC converter including a switching element of an upper arm, a switching element of a lower arm and a reactor; a first switch provided between the switching element of the lower arm and the negative electrode of the power supply, the first switch being normally closed; a power supply fuse provided between the positive electrode of the power supply and the other end of the reactor; a second power supply fuse connected to the power supply fuse in parallel; a second switch connected to the second power supply fuse in series and connected to the power supply in parallel, the second switch being normally opened; and a controller that opens the first switch and closes the second switch upon a short circuit failure of the switching element of the lower arm being detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ukegawa, Yukio Onishi
  • Patent number: 9654013
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a control circuit configured to control a power stage circuit of a primary-controlled flyback converter, can include: (i) a current sense circuit that generates a current sense signal by sampling a primary current; (ii) a voltage sense circuit that generates a voltage sense signal by sampling an auxiliary voltage after a blanking time has elapsed; (iii) a control signal generator that generates a switch control signal according to the voltage sense signal and the current sense signal; and (iv) the switch control signal being configured to control a power switch of the power stage circuit, where the switch control signal is active during a constant on time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Huiqiang Chen, Jianxin Wang
  • Patent number: 9647534
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus is constituted by a power conversion circuit and a control section. The control section causes a gate driving signal to alternately open and close a set of a first switch and a fourth switch, and a set of a second switch and a third switch based on a circuit current flowing through the power conversion circuit and a voltage of an AC power supply. A current in which a high frequency component is mixed into a low frequency component of the AC power supply flows through the power conversion apparatus by the opening and closing the sets of the switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yutaka Usami
  • Patent number: 9648674
    Abstract: In a power converter, a circuit determines an average value of an inaccessible current from an average value of an accessible current and a value of the operating duty cycle of the converter. A method of measuring an average value of an inaccessible current from a measured value of a current in a power converter by a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal representing a duty cycle of the power converter. Coupling a voltage representing the measured value to an input of a low pass filter during a time period (D) and coupling the input of the low pass filter to a reference voltage during a time period (1?D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Isaac Cohen